Ismael Laguna Meneses vs. Vicente Samuel Saldívar-García - IB's standalone RBR scorecard

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Done at @George Crowcroft's behest.

 

Ismael Laguna Meneses vs. Vicente Samuel Saldívar-García, 10 rounds @ super featherweight

 

Round 1

Quick right jabs and swat-hooks by the southpaw. Laguna creeping around Saldívar, jerking his neck defensively at the last moment, leaving a lot to chance, and countering with his left jab. Saldívar touching him without having to pressure too hard, but nothing sticking much as Laguna controls the distance and stays in constant orbit clockwise. Saldívar curling himself forward and letting off combos, which Laguna struggles to shut down with a thumping left after straightening up, forced to abandon his position with a quick scramble.

10-9 Saldívar, close

 

Round 2

Saldívar is plugging away on the body of Laguna, scoring very nicely and getting some love from the crowd before Laguna is able to wriggle free of the ropes and dance to freedom. The reedy limbs of the Panamanian serve him over the next minute as he sticks and moves, keeping the right holstered and just popping the jab from afar. Saldívar is once again effective in cutting the ring off in an unhurried manner, not betraying his intentions as he gradually ups his speed and stifles the angles until folding himself in half and cranking out threes and fours on the midsection of Laguna. Smothering tactics by Saldívar, hacking with a right jab across the gob when he gets Laguna sidled up against the ropes, but unable to land the big kibosh as the longer man draws himself up to full height and sprays his fists like a radar-jamming chaff grenade.

10-9 Saldívar

20-18 Saldívar

 

Round 3

Saldívar is continuing where he left off, but eschewing the body shots a bit in favor of lunging right hooks - and Laguna is able to show off his above-the-waist elasticity as he does a nearly full bow in reverse while backpedaling and shooting caltrop jabs into the Mexican's face. High right jabs by Saldívar, all wide of the mark as Laguna has gotten into a nice steady boxing rhythm on the outside now, and has most of Saldívar's offense well-scouted (a trade-off for being two in the hole). Laguna controlling with the orthodox jab.

10-9 Laguna

29-28 Saldívar

 

I don't get it... There some kinda "thing" with this fight, where people famously don't want to score it? Was this request made in bad faith, to punk me?

Or am I just reading too much past what Occam's Razor says (that George is referencing my finally doing this a week after he asked, while Chris is just reiterating that he doesn't really do "classic")?

 

Round 4

Saldívar is on task with the right jab now, shooting it with more snap and focus on aim with just enough of an incline to ramp up to Laguna's chin, and in singles rather than careless multiples - but Laguna has found a counter-measure, timing each with a parrying left jab and standing his ground momentarily with right uppercut & left hook combos lurching over Saldívar before circling away or tying up and pushing off. Saldívar is busy and throwing with greater malice, but Laguna has a tenacious hold on ring generalship and probably accuracy (but it's no clear thing).

10-9 Laguna, unbelievably close

38 all

 

Round 5

Saldívar is advancing to within a pace apart, then squaring off, daring Laguna to punch first. He doesn't, except to feel out with a lazy jab, so the shorter man takes it upon himself to catapult in with heavy corkscrew lefts into the ribs. Saldívar lathering himself up into progressively lengthier power combos, favoring body shots by about 2:1, and doing a wonderful job of keeping Laguna tripping over himself to GTFO of Dodge. Laguna with desperation uppercut and some timely clinches, but really not a flattering round for him in the least, even in the moments where he's able to negate Saldívar's aggression. Up close they wrestle and Saldívar looks a bit the stronger.

10-9 Saldívar

48-47 Saldívar